Draft rigging



Oct. 30, 1934.

A. E. HEFFELFINGER 1,979,070

DRAFT RIGGING Filed Aug. 7, 1928 SWW/nto@ Si /Z//l Patented Cet. l30,1934 PATENT OFFICE DRAFT RIGGIN G Arthur E. Heiellinger, NewYork, N. Y.,assgnor to The Symington Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation"ofMaryland Application August` 7,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to railway draft rigging and moreparticularly toa swivel butt coupler, the butt portion of which-is elongatedto receiveahorizontal draft key for its entire width.

The'principal object of my invention generally considered is to providea swivel butt coupler in which the coupler stein and associated swivelblock are formed with intercalated flanges with registering aperturesfor receiving pivotal means; said swivel block being formed with adraftkey receiving slot disposed generally rearwardly of the pivot meansreceiving apertures andformed entirely in the swivel block.

Another object ofr my invention is to provide a swivel butt couplerformed withan elongated swivel block slotted for entirely receiving anassociated'draft key whereby the front' end of thel slot may beclosedasshown to thereby secure key-protection for the associateddraft gearVon b'uff, and the Vpoints of engagement between said `key andassociatedyoke are rearwardlyof the pivotal'axis between the' couplerand'swivelblock rather than forwardly thereof.

A further objectofV my. invention is to provide a swivel butt couplerwith pins pivotally connecting the stem'. andswivel block thereof, saidpins having the.` headendsformedwith peripheral groovesror notchesAadapted for engagement by pins, rivets or cotters, extending between30'spaced lugsfon the adjacent outer faces ofthe swivel. butt` couplerandI preferably the swivel block portion thereof for' preventingundesired axial movement, said swivel block portion being longitudinallyelongated for completely receiving a horizontal draft key, the ends ofwhich are positioned in standard slots in the associated draft sills,rearwardly of the pivot pins and to adapt said coupler for use onvehicles with relatively long overhang, such as electric locomotives andother electrical equipment.

Other objects and advantages of the invention relating to the particulararrangement and construction of the various parts will become apparentas the description proceeds.

Referring to the drawing illustrating my invention, the scope whereof isdefined by the appended claims:

Figure 1 is a plan, partly in horizontal section, of a swivel buttcoupler with a swivel block and connecting means embodying my invention,the associated draft key and yoke being illustrated diagrammatically.

Figure 2 is a side elevation shown partly in vertical longitudinalsection of the swivel butt coupler and associated parts shown in Figure1.

1928, Serial `No;` 298,021

Referring tothe drawing, showing a preferred embodiment, like partsbeing designated by like reference characters, a coupler 1 is shown, thestem of which is formed with rearwardly extending portions, such as websor flanges 2 and 3, said flanges being preferably perforated, asindicated at 4 and 5 respectively, for the reception of vertical pivotmeans, such as the pivot pins 6 and 7. The rear edges of said flangesare curved ooakially with respect to said perforaw tions as indicated at8. The flanges 2 and 3 of the coupler stem closely nt in correspondingnotches or pockets 9 and 10 in the swivel block or butt portion 11 ofthe swivel butt coupler. The bottom or coupler engaging face of each'pocket is curved coaxially with respect to the ivot apertures in thecoupler and swivel block so that the iianges 2 and 3 of the coupler areadapted to nt into said pockets for transmitting forces therebetweenwhile at the same time permitting angling motion between the coupler andswivel block.

The swivel block or butt portion 1l of the coupler is provided withupper and lower flanges or webs l2 and 13 respectively and anintermediate flange or web portion 14 which flange portion and the bodyof the swivel block are in* tersected, as illustrated, by slot 15 forreceiving an associated draft key 16, diagrammatioaliy illustrated, for.connecting said coupler to a yoke 17, also diagrammatioally illustrated.The ends of said-key, not shown, are received in slots, of standard ornormal character, in associated draft sills, not shown, as illustratedin the Symington Patent No. 1,097,738, or any other patent showingFarlow attachments. As in said patent, the rear face of the block 1l isadapted to engage a front follower or follower-acting means forming thefront element of associated cushioning mechanism, (not shown). Frontfollower stopsg` of standard or normal character, as shown in saidpatent, are employed. Said slot 15 is disposed rearwardly of theperforations in the swivel block and coupler stem and more specificallythe axis thereof, so that it is not only en-` tirely received in theswivel block, rather than as heretofore partly in the swivel block andpartly in the coupler stem, but the points of engagement between thefront edge of the key 16 and the yoke 17 are rearwardly of the axis of frotation between the swivel block and coupler stem, rather thanforwardly thereof as heretofore. Although these points of engagement aredisposed slightly rearward of the axis of the pivot pins 6 and 7 theyare so close to said axis` that, in the present embodiment, they may beconsidered as approximately alined therewith.

The pins or pivot members 6 and 7 are in the presentembodimentrelatively short and their head ends, or those ends protruding beyondthe adjacent faces of the svvivel block 11 are, in the presentembodiment, formed with peripheral grooves 18 around the fullcircumference of the pins or, if desired, around only enough thereof toreceive the retaining means. The collars 19 beyond said grooves may bestraight axially, asY

illustrated, or bevelled.

Instead of having the outer ends enlarged or headed to limit inwardmovement of the pins into the slot 15 and prevent interference with thekey 16, said pins are prevented from axial movement in either directionwhen in place by locking or retaining means which, in the presentembodiment, are shown as rivets 20; although it will. be understood thatpins, cotters or other similar means may be employed as desired.

The ends of the rivets 20 are held in correspondingly apertured portionsin outstanding lugs 21 on the corresponding faces of the swivel block11, said lugs being disposed on either side of the apertured portions inthe swivel block whereby the rivets therebetween engage in thecorrespondingly grooved portions 18 in said pins 6 and '7 and preventundesired movement in either direction.

In order to support intermediate portions of said pins or rivets 20,lugs 22 are desirably provided between each pair of lugs 21 and disposedso as to engage intermediate portions of the rivets 20 and particularlythose portions of said rivets where the same engage the grooved portions18 in the pins 6 and 7. This construction greatly strengthens the rivets20 particularly as to their function of holding the pins 6 and 'l inplace by efficiently preventing said rivets from being forced outwardlyof the grooves 18 in said pins under any ordinary usage.

From the foregoing it will be seen that l'. have devised a swivel buttcoupler in which the swivel block or butt portion thereof islongitudinally elongated to particularly adapt it for vehicles havingrelatively long overhang, such as electrical locomotives or otherservice with electrical equipment, although it will be understood thatit is not limited to such use. Such elongation of the swivel block orbutt portion of the coupler not only makes it possible to form the draftkey slot with a closed front end entirely in said swivel block or buttportion, thereby providing for key protection on buff, but moves thepoints of application of draft force, i. e. the points oi engagementbetween the front edge of the key and the corresponding slotted ends ofthe yoke, or other force transmitting device to a position rearwardly ofor substantially alined with the pivotal axis between the coupler stemand swivel block or butt portion thereof rather than, as heretofore,forwardly of said pivotal axis.

Although I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention, itwill be understood that I do not Wish to be limited to the exactdetails, as modications may occur to those skilled in the art within thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A swivel butt coupler adapted for use with a railway vehicle havingcenter sills provided with standard front follower stop and coupler keyslots, comprising a coupler shank and an elongatedfblock interposedbetween said shank and a front follower, vertical pivot meansoperatively connecting said block and shank to permit the coupler toangle horizontally, said block being provided with a key slotimmediately rearward of the axis of said pivot means, the length of saidblock and the position of said slot being such as to aline said slotwith intermediate portions of said slots in the center sills in normalposition of the parts and thereby position said pivotal axis forwardlyof said key.

2. A swivel butt coupler adapted for use with a railway vehicle havingcenter sills provided with standard front follower stopand coupler keyslots, comprising a coupler shank with rearwardly `extending portionsand an elongated block provided with .a slot adapted to receive acoupler key passing through said coupler key slots in said sills, therear portion of said block being adapted to engage follower-acting meansand the forward portion of said block being notched to receive therearwardly extending portions of said shank, vertical pivot meansoperatively connecting said block and shank to permit the coupler toangle horizontally, the length of said block being such that the axis ofsaid pivot means is positioned forwardly of the forward edge of saidcoupler key receiving slot.

ARTHUR E. HEFFELFINGER.

